Folding bed



(No Model.)

3 Sheets-Sheet 1..

B. F. FARRAR.

FOLDING BED.

. Patented July 12, 1887.

2 t e h S w 8 e h S 3 R A R R A P PM B My 0 0 M 0 m.

FOLDING BED.

No. 366.311. Patented July "12, 1887.

(No Model.) 3 Sheets-Sheet 3.

B. F. FARRAR.

FOLDING BED.

No. 366,311. Patented July 12, 1887.

UNITED STATES PATENT BENJAMIN F. FARRAR, OF SAN FRANCISCO, CALIFORNIA.

FOLDING BED.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 366,311, dated July 12, 1887.

v Application filed May 15, 1886. Serial h'o. 202,337. (No modell T 0 all 2072,0112 it may concern:

Be it known that l, BENJAMIN F. FARRAR, of the city and county of San Francisco, State of California, haveinvented an Improvement in Folding Beds; and I hereby declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description of the same. My invention relates to the class of folding beds in which the bed-frame is made sectional and is adapted to fold within a suitable casing, which forms when the bed is closed a cabinet or wardrobe, and particularly to that class of folding beds which is illustrated by my patent dated April 6, 1886, No. 339,283, in which the head-section of the bed is mounted upon changeable or movable pivots, whereby it is adapted readily to be folded to its position and again extended therefrom.

My invention consists in the constructions and combinations of devices which I shall hereinafter fully describe and claim.

The general object ofmy invention is to provide a simple and effective folding bed.

The particular objects will appear in the course of the following description.

Referring to the accompanying drawings for a more complete explanation of my invention, Figure 1 is a perspective view of my improved folding bed, showing the bed open. Fig. 2 is a side elevation of the same, showing the first folding movement. Fig. 3 shows, in sectional elevation, the position of the parts in the second of the closing movements. Fig. 4 shows the bed folded. Fig. 5 is a detail showing the bed about to be opened.

A is the casing of the cabinet or wardrobe, consisting of a frame having an open back, a.

B is the bed-frame. The bedframe consists of three sections, being respectively the headsection b, the foot-section I), and the intervening middle section, b These sections are hinged together by the hinges b and are further connected by the braces b on each side, said braces having one end secured rigidly to the head and foot sections, while the other end is slotted over a pin or bolt, 12 on the middle section. The head-section of the bed fits within the casing A, and is pivoted therein in any suitable manner, as by the pivotal connections 2, so that it may turn from a horizontal to a vertical position.

The particular manner in which the fulcrums or pivots are arranged I need not herein describe, as they form no part of my present invention, and have been heretofore described by me in my previous patent above referred to.

The operation of the bed as far as described is as follows: Supposing the bed-frame to be in an extended or horizontal position,the footsection I) is first raised to a vertical position, and it may be said in passing that the principal force to be exerted in operating the bed lies in moving the foot-section to this position, which force, it will be seen, is necessarily a small one, on account of having to raise but one of three sections. \Vhen the foot-section has arrived at a vertical position, itis fixed in said position by the side braces, b, which travel on their pins 1) until limited by their slots. The top of the foot section is then pressed forward, the effect of which is to turn the middle section to a vertical position and the foot-section to a horizontal position, in which its end flange, b, is supported upon the side flanges, 12 of the head-section, so that the foot and the head sections lie in parallel planes and are separated by a distance equal to the width of the middle section, which has assumed a vertical position. In elevating the foot and the middle sections to this position but little exercise of power is required, because the length of the foot-section gives a considerable leverage, which is resisted by the side braces, b, and therefore the parts move readily to the position described.

The folded bed as far as has been described now presents a rectangular appearance, and a deep chamber is formed in which all the bedding is contained. The bed is now grasped and turned into the casing, the head-section moving on its pivotal centers, so that both head and foot sections now come to a vertical position, while the middle section is in a hori zontal position 011 top.

I am aware that it is not new in foldingbeds to make the bed-frame of three sections hinged together, and I do not herein claim the same broadly; but in all the beds of this character of which I have any knowledge the bed-frame is so arranged that the head and the foot sections turn directly to a vertical position, leaving the middle section as the base and. defining the distance by which they are separated, and beyond this there is no folding whatever.

It will be observed that in my'bed the folding takes place in a very different manner and results in a different position of the sections.

My foot-section folds first to a right angle with the middle section, then both fold together, as described, the footsection coming to a parallel plane with the head-section,while the middle section comes to right anglestherewith, and after this is done all the sections are folded once more together into the casing, in which position the middle section, instead of being the base, as is usually the case, is'the top. In connection with these three sections I have a mattress, O, which is made of woven wire. I The construction of the mattress is as usual. The novelty in this part of my invention rests in the manner in which it is arranged and secured, but only in connection specifically described in the before-mentioned application, but which I will here note briefly.

It will be observed that the spiral ofthe fabric is inthe direction of the sides of the bed-what is to say, it runs transversely-and therefore the spring of the fabric is transverse only. I secure the sides of the mattress throughout their entire length to the side pieces of the bed-frame. This is and should be a perfectly rigid connection. The ends of the mattress are not secured at all.

to arrange the mattress so that it may more perfectly conform itself to the contour of the body lying upon it. Why it does this I need not here state. The novelty in the present instance rests in the fact that in connection with the three sections folding as described the mattress is always kept under tension whether the bed be extended or folded. .This result could not be obtained if it were secured by the ends and not by the sides.

As I have before stated, the back of the easing A is open. The bottom of the bed-frame B is also open, because I do not intend to have the bottom of the bed-frame or any portion of it act as the front of the cabinet when the bed is folded. To form the front, I have a separate piece, D, which at its base is hinged at theinner end on the under side of the headsection of the bed, and is connected with said section farther up by means of the flexible straps d. The piece D is therefore adapted when the bed is extended to fall down away from the head-section to a distance limited by the length of the flexible straps, and therefore it keeps the bottom of the bed-frame open, and

The object of this is ventilation is provided at the sides of the bed.

In order to cover the top I have a top piece, F. This consists of a number of parallel strips hinged together in any suitable manner, preferably by means of a piece or pieces of fabric tacked to each. This top piece is guided by the small anti-friction rollersf, set in the headpiece of the casing, and is steadied by springs f. It is provided on its top edge with a cleat,f-

which,when the top pieceis in ahorizontal po- I sition and covering the top of the folded bedframe, fits over the front piece, D, of the casing and holds it in place. By releasing this engagement the top piece can be run back over the anti-friction rollers, which guide it downwardly until it entirely uncovers the top of the bed, thus providing for ventilation at that point. The top piece is limited in its downward movement by small stops f 3 on the back of the casing.v It will now be seen that by reason of the independent and separate front piece, D, the open back of the casing, the hinged shutters E at the sides of the casing, and the movable flexible top F, I can provide for the most complete ventilation on all sides of. the bed.

G are the legs for the middle section. These are hinged at g to the frame of said section, and are adapted to swing open by gravity, being held in an open position by simple spring-latches g engaging them. When the bed is folded, they lie in ahorizontal position within the top section. II are the legs of the foot-section. These (the legs H) are hinged at h under the lower end of said section. To their sides are pivoted bars h, the other ends of which are hinged to the end of the middle section. Now, when the foot-section isturned to a horizontal position, these bars force the legs automatically and positively to a vertical position.

I am aware it is not broadly new toconstruct a bed-frame of three sections hinged together, one of said sections being connected with a cabinet or case by pivoted arms, whereby the sections are enabled to fold within the cabinet. Such construction I therefore do not broadly claim as my invention.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is

1. In a folding bed, and in combination with a casing forming the cabinet or wardrobe of the bed when folded, the bed-frame 13, consisting of a head-section, b, having a fixed pivot in the casing, and adapted to fold on its pivotal points from a horizontal to a vertical position into said casing, a foot-section, b, and a middle section, if, hinged to both the head and the foot sections, becoming the hori- .zontal section when folded, substantially as end to the middle section, substantially as herein described.

3. In a folding bed, the frame B, consisting of three sections, viz: ahead section, I), a footseetion, I), and a middle section, I), hinged to both the foot and the head sections, in combination with a woven-wire mattress secured along the entire length of each side of the bedframe and loose at the ends, whereby the mattress is kept under tension at all times, substantially as herein described.

4. In a folding bed, the casing A, forming the cabinet or wardrobe of the bed when folded, in combination with the bed-frame B, consisting of the head-section b, having side flanges, b and pivoted in the casing so as to'turn therein from a horizontal to a vertical position, the foot section b, having an end flange, 1), adapted to rest on the side flanges of the headseetion when folded, and the middle section, b hinged to both the head and the foot sections, all arranged and adapted to operate substantially as herein described.

5. In a folding bed, in combination with the independent front piece, D, of the casing hinged to the bed and secured also by flexible straps, as described, the flexible movable top piece, F, forming ahead-piece for the bed when extended and a top piece for the casing, and a connection between said top piece and the independent front piece of the casing, whereby they are held together, substantially as herein described.

6. In a folding bed, the casing A, having anti-friction rollers f, and the binding-springs f, and a bed-frame adapted to fold within said casing, in combination with the movable flexible top piece, F, guided by said rollers and bound by the springs, substantially as and for the purpose herein described.

7. Afolding bed comprising the wardrobe or casing A, having an open back, a, and fold ing side pieces, E, as described, the bed-frame B, consisting of a head-section, b, pivoted in the bed-frame, and adapted to turn therein from a horizontal to a vertical position, the foot-section b, and the middle section, I), hinged to both the head and the foot sections, the in dependent front piece, 1), of the casing hinged to the head-section of the bed-franne and secured thereto by flexible straps, and. the movable flexible top piece, F, provided with a catch, and forming the top of the wardrobe when the bed is folded and the head of the bed-frame when it is extended, substantially as herein described.

In witness whereof I have hereunto set my hand.

BENJAMIN F. FARRAR.

Witnesses:

O. D. COLE, J. H. BLooD. 

